Container



April 5, 1960 l| H. PFoHL 2,931,493

CONTAINER Filed March e, 1958 United St CONTAINER Louis H. Pfohl, ForestHills, N Y., assigner to Design Center, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., acorporation of New York Application March 6, 1958, Serial No. 719,587

Claims. (Cl. 20G-78) `The present invention relates to containers andthe like, and more particularly to containers for packaging merchandiseand other items for purposes of display or sale.

AIt is frequently desirable to package merchandise for purposes ofdisplay in transparent packages. It is also desirable in many cases forsuch transparent packages to be aflixed removably to large supportingstructures such as display cards. For example, a number of items o fmerchandise are often removably mounted on a single display card so thatthe individual items may be removed one by one for purposes of sale.When the individual items are separately packaged and the packagesthemselves are mounted on the display card, it is important that thepackages be easily removable from the display card. It has also beenfound desirable to make each individual package a complete unit so thatthe item or items of merchandise contained therein will be retainedsecurely when the package is removed from the display card or the like.

A principal object of the invention has been the provision of a noveland improved container.

More particularly, it has been a principal object of the invention toprovide a novel and improved container which may readily be affixed toand remove from a supvision of a hollow container structure having a rimadapted to be snapped into engagement with a supporting structure, therim being adapted to retain a closure whose size and configuration issubstantially the same as the hole in the supporting structure intowhich the container structure is snapped.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention willappear more fully from the following description.

In accordance with the invention, the container is provided with a bodymember which may be generally domeshaped and which is open at the base.The base has a rimwhich is generally S-shapcd in cross section, thusaffording a double undercut with the upper undercut extending outwardlyand the lower undercut extending inwardly. A. container bottom issnapped into and retainedin the upper undercut. The lower undercut isadapted to have snapped into it and to retain therein the rim of a holein a supporting structure.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe appended drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one form of container embodying the invention;

Fig a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 2.

iwatented Apr. 5, 1960 the open base of the body member. The body member10 is preferably made from a transparent plastic material such asacetate or vinyl plastic, While the bottom 11 may be made of paperboardor other suitable material. Either the body member 10 or the bottom 11may be made of resilient material to permit the snap-in construction tobe described. However, it is preferable that both be somewhat resilient.

The container illustrated is adapted for the display of sun glasses, asshown in dotted lines at 1,2, but it will be understood that this isonly one example, and that a` tremendous variety of articles may bepackaged in containers constructed in accordance with the invention.

Thus the shape of the body member and bottom may' be varied widely toaccommodate the particularA item to be displayed.

As is best shown in Fig. 3, the base of the body memi ing flange edge 17and a vertical surface 18. The sur' faces 16 and 18 are joined by adiagonal surface 19. It should be understood that the terms upper,lower-,W

inwardly, outwardly, horizontal, vertical and diagonal are employed onlyas convenient terms of reference relative to the dome part of the bodymember 10 and do not necessarily have reference to the nal dispositionof the container in service.

The bottom 11 which closes the open base of the body member 10 litswithin the undercut 13. A peripheral portion of the upper surface of thebottom 11 engages the lower side of the horizontal surface 15. Thelower4 corner 20 of the bottom 11 contacts the diagonal surface v 19.This surface contact with the surface 15 and the. line contact with thesurface 19, which preferably extend completely around the open base ofthe body member.

10, serve releasably to retain the bottom 11 within the undercut 13.

ln order to permit insertion of the bottom 11 into the undercut 13 andalso to permit removal of the bottom.; 11 from the undercut 13, eitherthe body member 10, or'

at leastthe base portion thereof, or the bottom 11 should be resilient.

is placed in substantial registry with the open base of the body member10 and is snapped into the position illustrated. To facilitate removalof the bottom 11 from the body member 10, a peripheral notch or a holemay be provided in the bottom 11 to permit insertion of a finger orinstrument, thus permitting the bottom 11 to be snapped out ofengagement with the body member 10.

Such a peripheral notch is illustrated at 21 in Fig. 1.

The body member 16 with inserted bottom 11 istinserted into a holeprovided in a supporting structure 22 which might be, for example, apaperboard display card arranged to support and display one or morecontainers'` such as are formed by the body member lili and bottom 11.Such a display card could conveniently carry a suitable advertisingmessage.

The bottom surface of the supporting structure 22 adjacent the hole isin surface contact with the :upper surface of the ange 17. An uppercorner 23 forming.A the upper edge of the hole in the structure 22 is incontactwith the diagonal surface 1 9. The surface Contact; with theiiange surface 17 and the linel contact With'ftheg-1 surface 19 servereleasably to retain the rim 'of the holeE in the supporting structure22 within the undercuti 14,11: or in other words, causes the containerto belretainedf Y in the hole provided in the structure 22., y f gPreferably both are resilient. `ln assem-W bling the bottom 11 and thebody member 10, the bottom In order to assemble the container and thesupporting structure, the dome of the body member is inserted into thehole in the supporting structure 22 so that the surface is insubstantial registry with the rim of the hole. A force is then, exertedon either the ange, i7 or Ythe bottom 11 to cause the body member li tosnap into position in the hoie, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Disassembly ofthe container from the supporting structure can easily be effected byexerting a force on the upper surface of the body member 1t). Thesupporting structure, or at least that portion thereof adja ent thehole, or the body member 10 should be made of a resilient material topermit the snap in assembly and disassembly described. Preferably bothare made from resilient materials. Thus, as mentioned previously, thesupporting structure can conveniently be made of paperboard whilethebody member 1? can conveniently be made of a suitv The plasticshould, of course, be one which able plastic. will retain its shape inservice. The outward extent of the` ange 17 prevents the container frombeing forced completely through the hole in the supporting structureduring assembly.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the bottom 11 should be substantially the samesize as the hole in the supporting structure 22 so that both the bottoml and the supporting structure 22 can be retained in the undercutsl and14, respectively. Preferably the bottom 11 is the same piece (or anidentical one) removed from the structure 22 in die cutting or otherwiseforming the hole therein.

.When thecontainer formed by the body member 10 and bottom Il is removedfrom the supporting structure itj nevertheless constitutes a completepackage in itself.

While the invention has been described in connection with a' specificembodiment thereof and in a specific use, various modifications thereofwill occur to those skilled in`- the art without departing from thespirit and scope 0f the invention as set forth in the appended claims.Forexample, although the invention has been described in connection withthe packaging ofmechandise, it will bev readily apparent that it may beused for other pur-v poses such as a picture frame or as a toy or game.For the latter purpose some suitable game structure will usually bemounted or formed on the upper surface of the bottom 11.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a body'member'havingan open base forming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross sectionto provide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardlyextending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantiallyiiat, outwardly extending flange, and a bottom having a shapecorresponding to the shape of said open base, the'peripheral edge ofsaid bottom extending into said upper undercut whereby said bottom isremovably retained in said upper undercut.

2. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped bodyV member having anopen base forming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross section t-oprovide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardlyextending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a -substantiallyflat, outwardly extending flange, and a bottom having a shapecorresponding to the shape of said open base, the peripheral edge ofsaid bottom extending into said upper undercut, whereby said bottom isremovably retained in said upper undercut.

3. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped body member having anopen base forming a rim which isgenerally S-shaped in cross section toprovide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantially at,outwardly extending flange, a card member having an aperturecorresponding in size and shapeto said open base, the peripheral edge ofsaid aperture being arranged to be snapped into and out of said lowerundercut for releasable retention of said body member on said card, anda bottom having a shape cord,v responding to thershape of said openbase, the peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upperundercut whereby said bottom is removably retained in said upperundercut, at least one of said body members and said bottom beingresilient to permit said bottom to be snapped into and out ofsaid upperundercut.

4. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped body member formedfrom a resilient transparent plastic material and having an open baseforming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross section to provideanupper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly eX- tendingundercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantially flat,outwardly extending flange, a card member having an aperturecorresponding in size and shape to said open base, the peripheral edgeof said aperture being arranged to be snapped into and out of said lover undercut for releasable retention of said body member on said card,anda bottom having a shape corresponding to the shape of said open base,the peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upper undercut,

whereby ,said bottom is removably Vretained in said upper undercut.

5. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped body member formedfrom a resilient plastic material and having an open base forming a rimwhich is generally S-shaped in cross section to provide an upperoutwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut,the lower edge of said rim having a substantially flat, outwardlyextending flange, a card member having an aperture corresponding in sizeand shape to said open base, the peripheral edge of said aperture beingarranged to be snappedinto and out of said lower undercut for releasableretention of said body member on said card, and a bottom having a shapecorresponding to the shape of said open base, the peripheral edge ofsaid bottom extending into said upper undercut whereby said bottom isremovably retained in said upper undercut, said upper undercut having anupper substantiallyhorizontal surface in surface Contact with saidbottomV and a lower diagonal surface in line contact with a peripheraledge of said bottom.

6. A display structure comprising a supporting member having a holetherein; and a container comprising a body member adapted to be insertedthrough said hole,

said body member having an openV base forming a rimy which is generallyS-shaped inV cross section to provide an upper outwardly extendingundercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, the lower edge of saidrim" having a substantially flat, outwardly extending ilange, and abottom. corresponding substantially in size and shape to said hole, theperipheral edge of said bottomextending into said upper undercut wherebysaid bottomv is removably retained in said upper undercut, the rim ofsaid hole extending Vinto said lower undercut and a substantial portionof the area of said supporting mem-- ber adjacent said rim thereof beingin surface contact with said flange whereby said container is removablycross section to provide an upper outwardlyl extending` undercut and alower inwardly extending undercut, said lower undercut being in snap-inengagement with the rim of said hole for removably mounting said bodymember on said sheet, and a bottom having a size and shape conformingsubstantially'with said hole and being in snap-in engagement with saidupper undercut for removably retaining saidbottom in said open base.

8. A merchandising display as set forth in claim 7 in which said sheetis formed from paperboard and said body member is formed from aresilient plastic.

9. A merchandising display asv s'et forth in claim 8 in which saidbottom is formed from paperboard.

10. A merchandisingv display as set forth in claim 9 in v 6 which saidbottom is identical with the material removed 2,424,898 Pressman July29, 1947 from said sheet to form said hole therein. 2,446,361 ClibbonAug. 3, 1948 2,739,751 Bailey Mar. 27, 1956 References Cited in the ile0f thls patent 2,853,185 Rollie Sept. 2, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5FOREIGN PATENTS 1,734,032 Evans Nov. 5, 1929 231,281 Great Britain Apr.2, 1925 1,944,050 Wolkenhauer Ian. 16, 1934 517,502 Canada Oct. 18, 1955

